Richard Wilson

A number of residents have expressed their concern to me about the recent late night stabbing by the junction of Stapleton Hall Road and Lancaster Road.  The victim was attacked at around 4am on Friday 13th according to reports in local papers, and was seriously injured.  No wonder people are concerned when you see the stark headlines outside the Ferme Park Road newsagent - which is facing the scene of the attack (pictured).

I’ve asked the police and the Council’s community safety department to provide an urgent briefing.  Residents want to know whether this incident was gang, drugs or robbery related, so they can get some understanding of why this happened and what the risks are of it re-occuring.  For instance, a resident of Stapleton Hall Road told me she was worried about whether her teenage sons might be at risk – if the stabbing was related to young gangs.

I’ll try to reassure people on nearby streets when I get further information.

Because of Lib Dem conference I’m a bit behind with my posts – but I wanted to report back on last week’s meeting with the police and Haringey Council about security at Stationers Park.  The meeting was called after I met with Parks officers to demand action after the children’s play fort was badly vandalised (see previous post).

The good news is that the Council revealed they have spoken to the private contractors who close all the park gates in the Borough and they are now going to change the order they go round to ensure Stationers is one of the first to be closed – not one of the last as seemed to be happening.  I’m really pleased as this is something I suggested at the end of August.

At the meeting a Mayfield Road resident confirmed that on the first night of the vandalism the gate was still open after 10pm.  Of course, anyone can climb into the park if they really want – but leaving the gate open after dark is an open invitation to bored teenagers during the summer holiday, so this is a real Council blunder.

However, the bad news is that police say they will never be able to prioritise security at the park after dark unless more local people report problems.  Currently they say they get very few calls about late night anti-social behaviour – even though loads of residents are disturbed when it happens.  I would urge residents to help defend the Park.  If its not an emergency you can call the ‘Safer Parks Unit’ via the Met Police on 0300 123 1212.  If its an issue with the gates call the Parks Service on 020 8489 1000. 

I suspect the reason most people don’t complain is because they don’t believe anything will happen as a result.  So the police and the Council will need to make sure action is seen to happen when people take the time to contact them.

When Ed, Laura and I got elected in 2006 one of our big campaign pledges was to improve the safety at the Oxford Road entrance to the Parkland Walk with CCTV cameras.  The area, which is next to the footbridge over the railway to Finsbury Park, was a well known problem area and was being used as a safe escape route by burglars and muggers.   The CCTV was quickly installed thanks to the support of the local neighbourhood police team.

However, we still get complaints from residents and walkers about prostitutes and drug users sometimes using the site.  Every so often an unlucky walker will stumble upon an unsavoury scene or find a pile of discarded needles.

My colleague Ed Butcher has been on the case speaking to the Council and the Police.   The problem seems to be that the bushes have grown up too much and are obscuring the camera’s view and providing hiding places.   The good news is that Ed has secured agreement for some sensitive pruning and landscaping to the area, which the police think will make a difference. 

This should help cut the risk of stumbling on a scene you’d expect in a gritty US cop show – not on a ramble down a local nature trail.

Earlier today I went to Stationers Park to meet with the Council’s Head of Parks to discuss what can been done about security following the recent vandalism (see previous post).  As a result its been agreed that the Parks department will convene a meeting between the police, local residents and parks officers to try look at ways of ensuring residents get a better response when there are problems in the park.

I hope this meeting will help local residents on Mayfield Road and Denton Road get action and commitments out of the Council and Police.  However, its clear from talking to the Head of Parks that the new ‘parkforce’ service is not 24 hours – so will not be able to guarantee any response to problems late at night.

I wish the Council’s Labour Cabinet had listened to our warnings that this was going to be a problem when they decided to cut the Parks Police.   The Parks Police weren’t perfect but the concept of a 24 hour service was a good one.

I got back from holiday recently to discover that the Stationers Park children’s playfort has been badly vandalised – and twice set on fire.  I took a look on Sunday (see picture) and have contacted the Council to demand an urgent meeting with the Head of Parks to find out what is going to be done to improve security – and to repair or replace the fort.

Its terrible that this popular play feature has been ruined during the middle of the summer holidays.  When I visited the park was full of local kids and families.  Local residents are rightly very angry and the Hornsey Journal has run the story on its front page.

But what makes me even angrier is the complacency of the Council.  Local residents have been warning Haringey for months that their decision to scrap the Parks Police has left the green space vulnerable once the local Safer Neighbourhood police team finish their shift.   I’ve had numerous complaints about the Council and police not taking action when kids break into the park at night, causing disturbance and noise for residents of Mayfield Road and Denton Road.

Yet with all these problems to sort out Haringey decides to hold a self-congratulatory ‘green flag’ ceremony in the park this week.